How do I recognize if my teen is suffering from an eating problem? Unfortunately, most people, especially children, are good at hiding the symptoms related to eating problems. But below are some signs that should help.

1. The color of their skin. Does it have a healthy glow or is it dull and pale?

2. Eyes - are they bright or dull?

3. Hair - It is full and shiny or has it become dull, flat and thinning?

4. Legs and Arms - Have they got good tone, or do they look just like skin and bone?

5. Have their energy levels decreased?

6. Teenage Girls - Has their menstrual cycle altered in any way?

There are other ways in which bulimia may be diagnosed. Because a teenager will be forcing themselves to bring up the food which they have eaten, they develop cavities near the gum line. So if you can discreetly watch their bathroom habits, are they constantly going to the bathroom after they have eaten in order to purge the food from their body? Do they brush their teeth often because they want to make themselves sick or have they loose stools and stomach cramps because they are taking laxatives?

Those teenagers who are suffering from anorexia will often play with the food on their plate, or say they are not hungry or that they earlier when they were out with their friends. Others may well skip breakfast and just grab something on the way school, or they won’t take the lunch that you have prepared for them to school…or if they do, they throw away as soon as you are out of sight. Discreetly check with the school to see if they are eating meals at school, and if you are able to, speak to their friends and find out what, if anything, they are eating when they are with them. However, it is important that you do not pry too much, or it will lead to them only hiding the problem from you even more.

If you are able to, monitor what they are reading and logging onto on the internet.

For many teens, they will deny that they have a problem where eating is concerned. Parents must find a way to get past the idea that there is nothing troubling the teen, and that they go through stages when they don’t like certain foods or they will avoid eating a meal with the family. However, if you are reading this chapter and you see things in it which seem familiar in relation to your teen, then it may be worth taking a further look at your teen’s lifestyle.

Today, there is a lot of pressure being put on teens to become vegetarians, and some vegetarians will allow fish as part of their diets. This is okay as this provides the necessary nutrients, Vitamin B12, zinc and iron, which a teen will need while they are growing. However, it is wise to show them which fish are the best to eat more often, and which they should eat less of.

It is the teens who give up meat and fish altogether that a parent should be concerned about. Protein is important for us to grow, maintain healthy muscles, skin, hair and good health. The best source for protein is from animals, and those teens who give up this source will need to get it from other areas, such as through vitamin supplements. Studies carried out claim that the quantity of nutrition provided by pills is not the same, or as good as they would get from animal sources.

About the Author:
This article was written by Miss. Britney Anna, a Author at UniqueArticlesDirectory.com. You can read all Miss. Amitha Laila teenagers weight loss articles teenagers weight loss I article series and teenagers weight loss II article series. Miss. Britney Anna love to write any article related to teenagers weight loss.

There is a dizzying array of things that you can eat these days. Truly, a trip to the grocery store can be an adventure. Everywhere you turn, there’s yet another food promising you healthy this or weight loss that.

Added to this confusion is that there are some foods that are beneficial for metabolic boosting, and some that aren’t; and the differences aren’t always well-known. Fortunately, we’re going to tackle this problem right now and describe the three basic food groups/types that are indeed good for a speedy metabolism.

In terms of protein, studies have shown that having enough protein in your system can actually increase the speed of your metabolism. This is because protein is difficult to break down. Or rather, it requires more energy to break down. It’s like feeding the body a knot; it needs a bit of time to unravel it.

And, as you know, when your body spends time on something, it spends energy (calories). And so the more time it can spend breaking down protein, the more calories that it uses.

Different people will require different amounts of protein on a daily basis. Those who exercise and build muscle will typically need more than the average amount, too.

The USFDA Food Guide suggests around 50 grams of protein a day for a reasonably active adult.

Keep in mind (not that you don’t already have enough to remember, but…) that there are different sources of protein: some lean, and some high in fat. Fast food burgers may deliver up to 20 grams of protein (sometimes more), but they also deliver a great deal of fat; which makes them almost nutritionally worthless.

The benefits you enjoy from the protein are far outweighed by the immense fat intake; which, for some fast food burgers, can exceed 40 grams! And that’s not including the fries (we won’t even go there!).

So the thing to do is ensure that your source of protein derives from lean protein. Typically, protein from some fish and chicken is lean; though not all of it.

If you’re a vegetarian, or simply looking for non-meat lean protein alternatives, low-fat cheese, legumes (lentils), and yogurt are all good sources. Simply check the food labels to determine if the source of protein is lean (doesn’t deliver high fat content), or fatty.

In terms of carbohydrates, there probably isn’t a more battered around micronutrient than this. It’s gone from being the greatest thing in weight loss history, to one of the most reviled.

And really, it’s not the fault of the innocent carbohydrate! It’s really just a matter of information and knowledge, instead of speculation.

The thing to remember is that when carbohydrates are refined, such as white bread and potatoes, they are what the diabetic world refers to as high glycemic index (GI) foods, because they require spikes in insulin in order to be digested.

As you may know, when insulin is released into the system, it promotes the storage of fat; and some experts believe that it also pushes down metabolic speed (which makes sense).

Therefore, the good kinds of carbohydrate to consume are those that are high in fiber, and those from fruit and vegetable sources.

Why? Because these sources of carbohydrates don’t score high on the glycemic index. In other words, they don’t cause a spike in insulin levels, and therefore, they don’t promote fat storage.

About the Author:
This article was written by Mr. Joe Andrian, a Author at UniqueArticlesDirectory.com. You can read all Mr. Joe Andrian Body Metabolism I article series, Body Metabolism II article series and Body Metabolism III article series here. Mr. Joe Andrian love to write any article related to body metabolism.